A Wren Says

I got really excited about the release of Selena Gomez’s collab with Oreo: a horchata inspired cookie. I couldn’t find it anywhere in my area, so I went to order it from WalMart.com. After adding some actual essentials to cart, I went to check out. The next screen prompted me to sign into my account, which I don’t have. I have no intention of making it a regular habit to order from the website, so I went searching for the guest checkout. It was nowhere to be found. I refused to go through the hassle of giving away my information to create an account for a site I would maybe not use again for another five years. I abandoned my cart and went searching elsewhere.

Sweetgreen started to do an online only Monday Bowl Drop. I was excited by the limited menu at a discounted price. I figured I could order a meal for pickup as a special nutrient dense treat. I went to check out. Again, there was no guest checkout. I gave up and decided maybe I didn’t need it after all.

You might read my experiences and think, “It’s not that big a deal. Just create an account.” But I didn’t see it that way. I saw a brand asking a lot from me when we haven’t really started a relationship yet. It was a hassle that dissuaded me from making a purchase, that could then lead to me developing a stronger relationship over time. Meanwhile other online retailers don’t require the same. Why is it that Walmart, Target, Sweetgreen and Amazon are forcing this relationship?

To summarize a redditor: they are getting greedy with customer data.

Perhaps, that’s true. Or perhaps as scams increase they would like to keep record of everyone. Or maybe they think they’re making life easier. But the truth is that they are all increasing the barrier of entry for people to interact with their brands. And in this day and age of data breaches, it’s off-putting to have a one-time purchase potentially turn into a personal data nightmare.

My personal experiences aside, I do want to know the answer: Why force customers to create accounts? Are there other customers like me who will just find another option, instead?